U.S. Department of Justice, Office Of Justice Programs, Innovation - Partnerships - Safer Neighborhoods
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Serving Children, Families, and Communities
OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book logo jump over products navigation bar
OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book logoAbout SSBFrequently Asked QuestionsPublicationsData Analysis ToolsNational Data SetsOther ResourcesAsk a Question

Juvenile Population Characteristics
Juveniles as Victims
Juveniles as Offenders
Juvenile Justice System Structure & Process
Law Enforcement & Juvenile Crime
Overview
Related FAQs
Related Publications
Related Links
Data Analysis Tools
Juveniles in Court
Juveniles on Probation
Juveniles in Corrections
Juvenile Reentry & Aftercare
Special Topics
Data Snapshot
Statistical Briefing Book Home

OJJDP logo

Printer-priendlyPrinter-friendly
Law Enforcement & Juvenile Crime
Juvenile Arrests
Q: What are the demographic characteristics of juvenile arrests?
A: Females accounted for 30% of the estimated 684,230 juvenile arrests in 2019, youth under age 15 accounted for 32% of all juvenile arrests, and white youth accounted for 62%.

Demographic characteristics of juvenile arrests, 2019

Most serious offense Number of
juvenile
arrests
Female Under
age 15
White Black American
Indian
Asian
All offenses684,23030%32%62%34%2%1%
Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter94013%14%43%54%2%0%
RapeNANANANANANANA
Robbery15,84012%22%36%62%1%2%
Aggravated assault26,81026%35%56%40%2%2%
Burglary20,78014%33%55%42%2%2%
Larceny-theft81,66040%30%55%41%2%2%
Motor vehicle theft13,44020%27%46%51%2%1%
Arson1,77015%57%69%28%2%1%
Simple assault124,14038%44%59%38%2%1%
Forgery and counterfeiting84024%16%62%36%0%2%
Fraud3,61033%24%50%46%2%1%
Embezzlement54046%6%47%49%0%3%
Stolen property (buying, receiving, possessing)8,94017%21%33%63%1%2%
Vandalism31,49020%43%69%27%2%1%
Weapons (carrying, possessing, etc.)15,91010%29%55%42%1%2%
Prostitution and commercialized vice29069%14%48%50%0%2%
Sex offenses (except rape & prostitution)NANANANANANANA
Drug abuse violations80,11026%19%74%22%2%2%
Gambling18029%18%61%36%0%3%
Offenses against the family and children3,09042%37%68%23%9%0%
Driving under the influence5,59025%3%89%6%3%2%
Liquor laws26,22043%16%86%7%6%2%
Drunkenness3,41033%15%78%12%9%1%
Disorderly conduct53,99037%43%54%43%2%1%
Vagrancy40025%32%63%34%2%1%
All other offenses (except traffic)138,81030%29%66%30%2%2%
Curfew and loitering14,65033%34%65%30%2%2%
Violent Crime IndexNANANANANANANA
Property Crime Index117,66033%30%54%42%2%2%
Violent crimes*43,59021%30%48%49%2%2%

Violent Crime Index includes murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.

Property Crime Index includes, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

NA: Beginning in 2013, the FBI broadened the definition of rape, removing the phrase “forcible” from the offense name and description. The new definition of rape is: Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim. The new definition includes the NIBRS offenses of rape, sodomy, and sexual assault with an object.

Law enforcement agencies may submit data on rape arrests based on either the new or legacy definition of rape. Due to differences in agency reporting practices, national estimates for the offenses of “rape” and “sex offenses” are not available after 2012. Additionally, estimates for the Violent Crime Index (which included “forcible rape”) are not shown after 2012 as this category is no longer compatible with prior years.

*The violent crimes category includes the offenses of murder, robbery, and aggravated assault and is presented as an alternative to the Violent Crime Index, which is not available as a result of the change to the definition of rape in 2013. In any given year prior to the change in the rape definition, these three offenses accounted for more than 95% of arrests for Violent Crime Index offenses.

[ CSV file ]


Internet citation: OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/crime/qa05104.asp?qaDate=2019. Released on November 16, 2020.

Data Source: Arrest estimates for 2019 were revised by the National Center for Juvenile Justice in June 2022 based on the FBI’s 2019 Arrest Master File of 12-month reporting departments available from the Crime Data Explorer (https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/pages/downloads, retrieved June 14, 2022).

 

USA.gov | Privacy | Policies & Disclaimers | FOIA | Site Map | Ask a Question | OJJDP Home
A component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice